


From In the Darkness

by Of_The_Crown



Category: Skephalo - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, BBH, BadBoyHalo - Freeform, Cute, Dystopia, Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Rebellion, Skephalo, Slow Burn, Tags Are Hard, cute muffins, muffiny, probably, skeppy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:22:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25594975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_The_Crown/pseuds/Of_The_Crown
Summary: Zak and Darryl live in a circular city divided into four color-coded quadrants based on certain genetics for certain jobs. They live in different colors and have never met. They both stumble upon something they probably shouldn't have, what could go wrong?I had this idea and I'm using this ship for it because I like their dynamic. This is in no way meant to be disrespectful to the people and is a work of fiction :)
Relationships: Zak Ahmed & Darryl Noveschosch, Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Comments: 38
Kudos: 283





	1. Chapter 1

I wake up in time to see the frosted glass of the ceiling start to clear slowly as the sun comes up. A loud but not unpleasant series of notes rings throughout the quadrant signaling everyone to get up. I slide the bathroom door open and the lights come on with the daily announcements on the mirror. The Head on the screen reports the news, the most interesting of which being a disruption in the Green Quadrant. There are fewer disruptions as time goes on, and rarely do they result in the closing of a workplace. 

“…Half of the fields will be closed until further notice. Those that work in the fields will be notified on their positions momentarily,” The Head speaks emotionlessly and moves on to the next subject. The Green Quadrant is on the opposite side of the circular city, so we don’t hear a lot about them most of the time. The Blue and Yellow quadrants sit to the left and right of us.

I change out of my thin white sleeping clothes and into the bright red clothes of my quadrant. I stand in front of the full-length mirror to make sure everything is in place, I’m wearing a white button-up with a red, slim fit coat and pants of matching color. Today I have an interview with The Head in charge of job placement in my quadrant. Sometimes I wish I were born in the Green Quadrant just so I could get a chance to go outside. The farmers are the only ones allowed out, sure we get to see the sky as the sun comes up and goes down from our rooms, but I’d like to feel real sunlight on my skin. With that thought I grab my bag, head downstairs and out the door to the dining hall where I find my parents at one of the long tables. I sit next to them with a smile and join in the friendly conversation with our neighbors. 

“So, your job placement interview is today, huh?” One of the men from next door asks. I nod my head and he claps me on the shoulder, “Good luck then, son. Just don’t ask too many questions, Alright? We all know how curious you are, but The Heads may not take too kindly to it.” I give my thanks and dig into my breakfast. 

When breakfast is over, I stand up and head to the wider part of our quadrant where The Head offices are. I step inside the large glass doors and stop to take a look around the room. The last time I was here was in elementary school for a field trip, it looked huge then and even though I’ve grown it still does. There’s a green sign with “Job Assignment” written in large letters pointing to the right. I walk down the hall and wait outside the door of the office at the end. A couple minutes later the door opens.

“Darryl?” A woman’s soothing voice asks.

“Yes ma’am,” I reply.

“You can come on in.” I take a couple steps forward and the woman in front of me gestures for me to take a seat. 

The interview process feels strange, the woman knows everything about me, but still asks me questions. I’m assuming she does this so she can gauge my sense of self. I answer the questions honestly from my seat, sitting up straight and presenting myself as best as I can. Towards the end if the interview one question trips me up. 

“Have you ever met anyone from the other Quadrants?” Her tone is calm but seems to be accusing me of something. I’ve dreamt of meeting people outside my quadrant, but it’s strictly against the law. 

“No. Of course not,” I respond, I let a little bewilderment slip into my tone, letting her know how ridiculous that question is. I don’t think there are even ways to meet other colors. 

“Great!” She now has a smile on her face and fake cheer is pumped into her voice. “You’ll be notified of your placement within the next few days,” With that the door opens and I leave the room. I glance at the clock on the way out and am surprised by how long the interview took. At this point I’ve missed lunch and I have a couple of hours until curfew.

I don’t have any obligations for the rest of the day, so I go to the narrow part of the quadrant where the Enrichment Sectors sit. Today they are the Library and the Planetarium, yesterday it was the Restaurant and the Park. The Enrichment Sectors rotate at the center of the circle and give us two options every day, we get the ones the Blue Quadrant had the day before and so on. I walk into the Library and the robotic librarian greets me. Most of the people choose the Planetarium over the Library on these days, but there are still a few people scattered at different tables. I wander somewhere in the middle rows of the bookcases, not wanting to seem suspicious. I run my hand over the rows of books before I find one with an interesting title. I pick it up and head on a winding path to the back corner. A couple of weeks ago there was a disruption here while it was in the Yellow Quadrant. The next time it came around I came upon something The Heads had missed during clean-up; I leaned against the wall and discovered a loose panel. Since then I’ve been exploring it. Behind the panel is a dark narrow space, just wide enough for a couple of me to fit comfortably and ceilings as high as the library itself. After spending a few minutes in the wall, I could hear talking followed by laughter on the other side. I recognized the script as one of the comedy movies playing in the Theatre recently. I could hear the Blue Quadrant taking part in their Enrichment Sector. As I walked down the length of the space, I could make out the changes in tone, different movies showing in different theater rooms. 

Most times the Library is around I come here. Sometimes I bring a book to read, other times I come just to listen to the muffled sounds of other people. Today I slide the panel back just like every other Library day and step quietly inside. I wait for the tell-tale signs of people in the theater, I hear shoes scuffling along the floor and a soundtrack begin to play. It’s not the same one as usual, they must have added some new movies. I walk quietly down the line to hear what else is new when I nearly trip on something. I jump back, stifling a gasp. I stand still, making sure nobody heard me before I crouch down. I pat the ground lightly in the pitch-black room, searching for whatever it was that I felt. My fingertips touch a soft yet thick cloth that I immediately recognize as one of the sweatshirts given to us by The Heads. I pick it up gingerly and bring it toward where the panel lets some light in. The color blue is shocking when it’s bright enough to see. Excitement fills me and it takes all of me not make a sound. I hold the piece of clothing out in front of me. The realization that someone else has found my hiding spot hits me like a ton of bricks. My mind races on what to do, this is the only time I’ve come anywhere near contact with another color. In a moment of quick thinking I stuff the blue sweatshirt onto my bag and go deeper into the darkness to leave my coat behind. It’s a stretch that the person who left this behind will even come back for it, but what’s the harm if The Heads don’t know about this place?

From inside the dark space I hear the three bells ring over the speakers in the library that signal its closing for the night. I slide the loose wall panel to the side just enough to peek out and make sure nobody is around. Once I deem it safe to climb out, I do. I set my book down on one of the many wooden tables, knowing the nightly cleaners will take care of it for me and head to the big front doors. It takes me a couple of minutes to walk home and when I get there it’s almost dark. The bells ring over the outdoor speakers announcing the start of curfew. The door unlocks with a scan of my code and I go in. 

“Darryl, that’s cutting it a little close! And where’s that nice jacket you were wearing earlier?” My mother all but shouts. I chuckle nervously and bring my hand up to the back of my neck, I’ll have to come up with something quick.

“I know mom, but I wasn’t done reading and I have to wait a whole four days before I can pick up where I left off. I must’ve left it at one of the tables in the library,” I smile sheepishly. 

“I know you love the library, but I don’t want to see you getting into trouble. Your coat’s gone now, we’ll have to order another one from the clothing department,” She sighs with a warm smile and gestures for me to sit down with her on the couch.

“You know she’s right, Darryl. You may not be trying to cause a disruption, but The Heads don’t always see it from our side,” Dad gives me a worried look. I sit down with them and the nightly announcements come on. After an hour or so of discussing the news we eat dinner and head to bed. 

All the lights in the quadrant go out and I tiptoe over to my bag, pulling out the item I should never have seen, let alone touched and kept. I sit back down on my bed as I examine it. Not a single loose thread to be found, typical of the clothing issued to us. I hold it carefully in my hands, the danger that comes with owning this object makes it feel as though it’s burning in my grasp. Along with excitement comes a sadness that I will have to wait a whole four days until the library comes around again. Out of curiosity, I slip the hoodie over my shoulders to see if it fits. It’s slightly smaller than I would usually wear but not uncomfortable. I take a deep breath in, enjoying this bit of rebellion and get a whiff of something with a salty tinge to it. I’ve been taught of the ocean and imagine it to smell something akin to this. I take another deep breath and can almost imagine waves crashing over a sandy beach. I slip the sweatshirt off and pack it away in one corner of my closet. It’s the most secure place I can think of, it’s not like they give a lot of places to hide things. I lay back down in my bed, excitement still coursing through my veins. I won’t be getting much sleep for a couple days while I wait for the library to return. 

– Zak

I walk down the street with a bit of pep in my step, headed to the Library.

“Yo, Zak!” One of my friends calls and I screech to a halt. “Where ya headed?” He asks.

“Oh, you know,” I pause to think of an answer that will get the desired result. “Just back to my house, I forgot to get my hoodie,” I shrug. 

“Well when you’re done do you wanna come to the Planetarium? A bunch of us guys are headed there now.”

“Sure! I’ll see you there,” I wave goodbye and he keeps walking as I step up to my door. I step inside after the camera scans my code, waiting a few excruciating minutes for him to get far enough away. After I’m sure he’s gone I step out, wanting to run, but not wanting to draw attention to myself. How could I be so stupid, I can’t believe I left my sweatshirt in the wall. I mentally facepalm and pick up the pace. 

I wave to the robot librarian and head straight for the back. People in the Blue Quadrant only read when they absolutely have to for school and stuff, so I’m the only one around. I slide the wall panel over with gentle force and leap in, closing it behind me so only a sliver of light comes through. I walk down the dark and narrow passage when I feel some fabric. A wave of relief flows through me. Nobody found the hole in the wall. My sweatshirt is still here.

I grab it and bound to the panel, sliding it open, careful not to make noise when I notice my hoodie feels stiffer than normal. I glance down and almost yelp in surprise when I see a bright red coat bunched in my hands. I drop the garment and look around, making sure nobody can see me. I shut the panel and sit on the floor. What does this mean? Someone else found my hoodie. Someone knows I’ve been here. Well, they don’t know I’ve been here, but they know someone blue has been here. Taking a deep breath, I pick the coat up off the ground, feeling the fabric, it has a silky texture to it, how did I not notice that before? Once I relax, I can think about this with more clarity. Someone found my hoodie and left something of theirs behind. The person is from the Red Quadrant judging by the color. As far as size goes, they’re probably about my size, maybe taller. I’m guessing they’re around my age since I doubt any of the older adults would use this place without reporting it, especially from the Red Quadrant being the rule followers they are. It’s been four days since I left it meaning three days since they found it. They haven’t reported me yet otherwise I would be in the company of The Heads already. After the terror of the situation filters out of me, excitement takes its place. I can’t help but feel surprised, people from the Red Quadrant aren’t usually much for taking risks and rebellion. I almost feel proud to know someone over there is breaking the mold, acting more like a Blue. It does make sense a Red would find the hole though, they’re the smart ones for sure, and way more likely to be in the library. I laugh to myself. Nerds. The feeling that I know something others don’t gives me a thrill. I set the red coat back on the ground and slip out of the wall. I grab a pen and notebook from one of the many empty tables and bring it back to the wall. I scribble a couple words on the first page and leave the notebook inside wall. 

With the coat tucked deep inside my bag I prance happily out of the Library and into the Planetarium. I spot my friend among the rows of seats and head over to him. 

“Hey, Vincent!” I say as I sit next to him, waving to the other guys. 

“Hey!” A pause. “Where’s your sweatshirt?” He asks, confused. I facepalm again, physically this time.

“I forgot it at home,” I thought that excuse would hold up earlier when I thought my sweatshirt would still be in the wall. I guess not.

“I worry about you sometimes, Zak,” He laughs, shaking his head. 

“Yeah, me too,” I say and sit back, waiting for the show to start. The lights gradually darken and my thoughts drift to the Red Quadrant as the stars light up the ceiling. A smooth voice fills the room, describing some new star system. Most people come here to take a nap or mess around. My group of friends usually pulls some prank on the first person to fall asleep. This time I don’t join in, I’m too caught up in what I’ll find in that wall about four days from now. I catch myself wondering about the bright red coat that if found would get me in more trouble than I’ve ever been in, and that’s really saying something because I’ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble. Such is life in the Blue Quadrant. The Heads kind of expect it from us blue youth at this point. Certain genetics for a positive trait come along with some unforeseen challenging traits too apparently. Somebody’s gotta keep ‘em on their toes. I’ve told them as such a few times before. 

The lights come up and someone wakes up a not-so happy camper. Some kid a few rows down made the mistake of falling asleep, I mean what can you really expect? I get up and laugh as my friends reminisce loudly about the few minutes before. How funny it was that the kid didn’t wake up earlier. I’m not really in it, but It would be suspicious if I didn’t take part at least a little. I walk with the group until we get to my door. 

“Hey guys, I think I’m gonna head in for the night,” I announce to the group. A couple of them look at me with confusion.

“Uh, it’s not even close to curfew, are you alright?” Vincent asks. 

“Yeah, man. Just gotta catch up on some stuff,” I wave him off. 

“Okay then,” He shrugs, a little suspicious, but willing to let it go for now. A few waves and a scan of my code later and I’m in my house. My parents aren’t due home for about 45 minutes, so I run up to my room. I dump the contents of my bag onto my bed and stare at the bright red coat. I’ve obviously seen red before, but never a shade this bright in person. I lift it up and look through it. There’s nothing in the pockets that could give me clues on who this belongs to. I suppose I should’ve figured they’d be smarter than that, they are a red after all. In the light of my bedroom I see the shine of the fabric, it looks as if it’s barely been worn. Come to think of it, I’ve never really worn my blue version of this coat much either. Curiosity rushes through me as I stare at the coat. I try to picture the person that left it behind and come up with nothing. I close my eyes tightly and try so make a guess on their name, a bit ridiculous to try to guess a name out of thin air, but it’s not like I have much else to do. I lift the coat up to my face, checking out every detail when a thought comes into my head. I wonder what it smells like. Even though I’m alone and my thoughts are private, a blush rushes up my neck into my cheeks. Remembering that I’m alone and can do whatever I want, I take a whiff. Cinnamon floods my nostrils and I put the coat down. The soap and deodorant we use are issued to us by The Heads. I’ve just discovered the scent given to the Red Quadrant. It makes sense that red would be cinnamon, but at the same time I kind of thought it would be more subdued like the general nature of the Red Quadrant’s inhabitants. The Reds are supposed to be the calm, smart, rule-following type, the unpredictable spice of the cinnamon is actually a nice surprise. I fold up the coat and tuck underneath my own blue version in a drawer before going back downstairs to wait for my parents. I doze off on the couch and before I know it my parents are walking in the doorway.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back into the wall.

The synthetic grass crunches beneath my feet as I walk through the Park. People used to come to parks to get exercise, walk their dogs, feed the ducks. There used to be real grass and trees, now the trees are an almost believable imitation of the real: pristine plastic trunks and thin papery leaves. The branches sway to simulate wind but the air stays still. The screen above shows the sun high in the sky while some darker clouds roll in from one side. A part of me gets excited when it rains in the Park, I know the water comes from the sprinklers in the ceiling and it isn’t helping the fake plants grow, but I like the symbolism behind it. We’re taught that in the past rainy days were thought to be full of sadness have a negative aura around them, but I don’t quite understand that thinking. The rain helps the plants and animals grow. To me, the rain is symbolic of health and happiness.

Shouts and laughter ring through the trees. Little blurs of red fabric seem to fly around on the playground. Parents are sat on the benches, watching as their kids run around playing tag and hide n seek. Couples new and old walk along the well-kept trail. I keep walking and my mind wanders to the Blue Quadrant. I wonder if the people over there appreciate the Park in the same way we do here. I try to picture the childish red blurs as blue ones and try to imagine what the person from the wall may have done in the park just yesterday when it sat in the Blue Quadrant.

“Hey, Bad,” My neighbor and friend since childhood, Karl, comes up behind me on the path.

“What’s going on up there?” He gestures to my head with a lop-sided smile.

“Not much, just thinking about the rain,” I respond, happy to see one of my good friends.

“Oh, by the way, how did your interview go?” He asks.

“I was super nervous! But I do think it went okay. How was yours?” Karl is the same age as I am so we’re both in that transitional stage between teenage and adulthood which dictates the rest of our lives.

“It wasn’t really what I expected. I just hope whatever jobs they place us in are good ones.”

Karl and I walk along the path together for a few more minutes before deciding to go watch a movie at the Theatre thinking it might be a good distraction for a couple of hours. As we take our seats, I remember the laughter I could hear from within the space between the entertainment centers. I gaze at the wall of the Theatre which the Library shares. I wonder if the person from the Blue Quadrant is in there now. Are they shocked at what they’ve found? Can they hear our feet shuffling, the music starting? Have they even thought once about the hole in the wall since visiting it the first time? Will they report what they find if they have? I focus on a single spot in the screen for a while, wondering what it could be like on the other side.

After leaving the Theatre I realize I can barely remember what happened throughout the film. I smiled and laughed at the right moments, but can’t remember why, safe to say the distraction was unsuccessful. The rest of the day feels as though it stretches on forever and yet boredom never comes. Anxious anticipation of tomorrow is all that fills the air around me. I’m not sure what I’ll find if anything. I half expect to get caught before I can get to the secret spot in the wall, the past warnings against curiosity from my elders and peers play over in my head. Don’t ask too many questions. No, you don’t need to touch that. How do you even think of such things? Curiosity is dangerous. Curiosity is bad. You’re really too curious for your own good. It’s really too bad. You’re really too Bad.

~The Next Day~

The Library is in again today. Since the last time it was here, I’ve not been able to get the event out of my head. There’s always some part of me that’s wondering about the person in the Blue Quadrant. Every night I’ve wondered what they must be thinking, I wonder if they even know what they’ve started. I wonder if they’ll even acknowledge the issue that’s been lounging around in my headspace. I lost the most sleep last night, they would have only discovered my coat that day if they even cared to go back for their sweatshirt. What if they didn’t make it to the Library? Maybe they thought it would be too risky to go back after leaving something behind. All I could do was hope they had found what I left in the wall. And that’s what I did, all night long.

I’m currently on hold as far as the decision on my job placement so I have more free time than the average person but not completely unscheduled. After sitting in at a job trial I decide to spend the rest of my day at the Library. I walk quickly home to change into casual clothes and make my way there. I run into Karl on the way and make cordial conversation, but he’s going to the Planetarium, so we split off at the entrances. I walk slowly along the rows, heart pounding, pulse screaming for me to run. I take a few deep breaths in an attempt to steady myself so as not to seem suspicious to the others around me and focus on finding the same book from last time. Even if I find nothing in the wall, I never got to read it before, and it sounds like an interesting enough story to use up my time. I finally allow myself to walk steadily to the back wall, trying not to seem over eager. Once I have my target in sight, I take another deep breath, trying not to get my hopes up, and failing miserably. With quiet care I lift my palms up to the wall and slide the panel over, stepping in. I check the immediate area for anything left behind. A glint of light bouncing off of something metallic catches my eye; the spiral of a notebook. I slide the panel nearly closed, leaving it slightly ajar to allow some light in. I grab the notebook off the ground and recognize it as one of the standard notebooks left for notetaking on each of the Library tables. I open it to the first page and see a note in scratchy handwriting.

_You could have just asked for my hoodie. You didn’t have to STEAL it._

I flush a little and laugh at the note, not quite sure why I was expecting something a bit more serious. I look the note over again and find myself tracing each letter. I sit on the ground and set the notebook in my lap, rummaging through my bag for a writing utensil. I pull out my favorite pen and start writing.

_I didn’t steal anything. I just took it away for safe keeping and it’s not like I didn’t leave something behind._

_~Bad_

Knowing I’ll have to wait four days for any kind of response drives me crazy. Knowing that the person might not even come back at all drives me crazier. I’ve never talked to another color before, so I hold back on the questions, not wanting to scare them off right away. I check one of the clocks on the wall outside and decide to stay a while. I sit down on the floor and use the sliver of light to open the book in my hands and read. The cover is grey like every other book in the Library, but the fabric of it is worn harder than most. Soon it will need to be replaced or removed from the selection entirely. The story inside is more vivid than the cover and piques my interest, it’s the story of a woman in the times before now. When life was chaotic but also beautiful in its unpredictability. Normally books such as these are recommended against, but this one seems to be quite popular if its condition means anything. As I read, I feel the anxiety from the days before melt into a sweeter kind of excitement.

My mind begins to wander as it often does these days, but only to pleasant things. I imagine myself in the place of the main character, going throughout life without having to evaluate my every decision before I make it. I imagine being able to meet up with the person from the Blue Quadrant but come up short. Feeling slightly discouraged at my lack of information about them, I set the book down and pick up the notebook. I take another look at the handwriting and allow myself to ask just one question. I close the notebook and set it to the side, further into the darkness than I found it. Typical of a blue to be careless enough not to think it through, it really should be hidden better in case someone comes across this broken panel. I shake my head, oh how my life has changed, keeping secrets, hiding forbidden objects both here and in my own house, communicating with someone outside the Red Quadrant. I take a deep breath and place my head in my hands. I can’t help but smile, my actions are so out of the ordinary for me. It’s scary but I kind of like this change. My life feels that much closer to the unpredictability of world depicted in the book.

Checking the clocks outside once again I decide that this is enough rebellion for today. I step out of the wall quietly and take a few gentle steps away, making sure to leave the book on one of the study tables like before. As I walk away a rogue happiness thrums in my chest and a dangerously curious little question sits in the dark where it will wait for three more days until it can be answered by the mysterious character from the Blue Quadrant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks so much for reading! 
> 
> I really appreciate all the kind comments on the first chapter, I won't get into excuses for why it's taken so long to update, but it's been a rough one. I plan to continue this story, however, updates will likely not be consistent because I've packed on a lot for this upcoming semester and school comes first. I'm excited to see where this goes and hope you are too!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skeppy’s turn, but it gets complicated.

“- you think, Skeppy?” A pause.

“Skeppy,” Another pause.

“Yo! Zak!” Sapnap raises his voice and nudges my arm.

“Sorry, what?”

“Well it doesn’t really seem like it matters anymore, I’m more curious what you were thinking about to be so spaced.” There’s yet another pause while I get my thoughts in line.

“Well, you know me pretty well, right?” My voice comes out more wobbly than I expect, but he just nods for me to go on. 

“How would you.. describe me?”

“That’s what you were thinking about?” Sapnap laughs but when all I do is nod he quiets down.

“Sorry, sorry. I just- why on Earth would you be thinking so deeply about what you’re like?”

“I don’t know, I guess it’s kind of stupid,” I shrug in response, ready to let the subject go.

“No, I can tell you’re bent out of shape about, I just don’t understand it,” Sapnap shakes his head, “you’re a bit of a jokester, but you’re also really caring when it comes to your friends, that combination is what makes you fun to hang out with,” He sounds a little uncomfortable with the sudden honesty but nonetheless genuine and his words surprise me.

“Thanks, Sapnap,” I smile a little bit, feeling more calm and less like I’m spiraling deep into my own head.

“Does this have something to do with why you’re at the Library so often lately?” If I thought I was surprised before, I definitely am now. I jump a little, looking at Sapnap’s proud smirk.

“What? You thought I wouldn’t notice? Skeppy we’ve been best friends since forever, yeah I noticed when you weren’t around like normal,” he laughs a little but doesn’t drop it.

“Look, you don’t have to tell me everything, but I get the sense that going to the Library isn’t as innocent as you want people to think,” I stare at him in slight disbelief. Sure, Sapnap knew me well but I didn’t think he’d realize so quickly what I was up to. I shrug a little, stalling for a bit more time to figure out what to say to him. I look around, making sure we’re out of earshot from pretty much anyone else.

“There’s a hole in the wall,” I stop there, waiting to see Sapnap’s reaction. Of course he nods, expecting me to go on. 

“There’s a hole in the wall.. in the Library and.. I’ve kind of been hanging out in there,” Sapnap stays quiet and looks confused for a bit but realizes I’m not planning on going any further without prompting.

“Okay, and that has you so out of whack because..?”

“Because someone else found the hole in the wall too,” I pause, the point of no return soon approaching, “and that person is from the Red Quadrant,” I breathe out and look up to gauge his reaction.

“Wait.. so you’re,” I can see the cogs turning in his head, he’s putting the pieces together, “you’re flirting with another color?!”

“What?! Who said anything about flirting and why is that what concerns you right now?” I’m a little louder than is probably the safe volume for this conversation, but who can blame me?

“I mean, look at yourself, Skeppy; you’re nervous and unsure of yourself all because you’re talking to this person.”

“Well yeah, they’re from another quadrant, why wouldn’t I be nervous about being caught?” I huff and cross my arms.

“Because that’s not why you’re nervous, there’s something different about today and I’m guessing this has been going on for a couple days at least.” He’s got a point there, I’m definitely different today. The conversation in that notebook is starting to get somewhere personal. Of course the person from the Red Quadrant who signed the note as ‘Bad’ had to ask what I’m like, how am I supposed to know? Now though, I have a little more clarity on the subject. Telling Sapnap about the Library made me feel a little better, a little more certain, but it also felt dangerous. That little spark of rebellious fear shot another wave of adrenaline through me and I made up my mind.

“Thanks for the insight, Sap. I’m going to go do something illegal real quick,” I stand up from where we’re sitting on one of the street benches and with a barely noticeable hop in my step, start toward the Library.

With a newfound wave of calm I walk through the big doors and turn right at the first row, taking the long way around as to not arouse further suspicion; it’s already strange I’d come to the library twice in one day. Once at the back of the large room I slide the panel over and with practiced steps get inside without making a noise. Leaving the panel open just slightly, cool darkness consumes most of the air around me. I pick up the notepad and pen left previously on the floor by a much less stable version of myself. Upon opening it I see the note in the neat handwriting only a Red could have.

_ What are you like? _

That’s the simple question that had spun me into a whole world of uncertainty, but now I feel better about answering it.

_ I’m what the kinder variety of Heads call a “cantankerous young man” but I’m sure you must know that already seeing as I’m a Blue. I’ll have to ask you the same question though because what is a Red doing acting like a Blue? Don’t get me wrong, I like it, I’m just surprised.  _

_ ~Skeppy _

It’s surface level, but it’s honest. I’m not about to tell Bad what Sapnap said I’m like, that feels kind of strange. I sit back and let out a long breath, feeling more relaxed than the first time I sat here today. I think about all the things that I’ve got coming up. I feel like I’m in a bubble, some sort of pocket universe hidden away in this wall. I’ve got my interview in a couple months. I’m not sure how that will go, I’m not sure how I want it to go either. Sapnap noticed something off with me, who else has? All these issues sort of float in the air around me, and I can’t really bring myself to care too deeply about them. I look back down at the first offending question. The bravery this Red must have had, how would they be feeling right now? Would they ever take this farther than notes left in a wall? How could we even if they were willing? Again these issues sort of float by, a little closer to feeling real this time though. At some point I realize I want to meet this person, this anomaly in the Red Quadrant. I know nothing about them yet, the jacket hidden in my room makes me feel exponentially closer to him than almost anyone else. We have this secret together, well Sapnap knows now, but I can trust him with anything. I wonder if Bad has anyone he can trust with our secret. I’d guess it’s harder to come by a trustworthy rule breaker in the Red Quadrant but who knows, maybe he’s not the only one with a streak of rebellion over there, maybe the heads got the pairings wrong and accidentally mixed up the wrong genes. That would be the ultimate win in my book.

There’s a shuffle out in the library that startles me a little. A chair scrapes on the ground as someone pulls it out to use it. Seriously a Blue in the Library? Is the world ending? It’s not impossible for someone in my Quadrant to want to go into the Library, just not very likely. I look out into the mostly empty space and see a girl sitting about three tables away, of course facing the direction of the broken panel. With any luck she’ll get bored quickly and leave before I need to get out.

That was hours ago. Every time she shifts in her seat I expect to be able to leave. This forever yawning expanse of time has allowed me to think about everything I’ve ever needed to think about and get mind numbingly bored. To stave off said boredom I open the notebook again. 

_ Hey Bad, I’m kind of trapped in the wall. There’s someone sitting at one of the tables and she’d definitely see me if I tried to leave. I’ve done things that have gotten me in trouble before but never something to this level. Never something illegal. I really don’t want to get caught, I want to see where this goes.  _

I kind of cringe at myself, but it’s written and in pen, and scribbling it out would be worse I think. I look out one more time to see that it’s almost closing time. A bubble of panic rises in my chest, willing the girl to get up and leave. A few minutes pass where I do nothing but try to keep control over my breathing. I can hear footsteps somewhere to my left, great another person to try not to he seen by. Why does everyone like reading all of a sudden? The footsteps get closer and I recede farther into the darkness, willing them not to notice the crack in the wall. When the person comes into sight I realize who it is. Relief rushes the panic out and I tap the edge of the panel, quietly but loud enough for him to hear. Sapnap whirls around and I curse him silently for being so obvious about it.

“Skeppy?” He whispers in my direction. The girl looks up from whatever she’s working on with a confused look on her face. Sapnap waves to her and smiles. She shakes her head and goes back to work, not thinking his actions worthy of her attention. It takes Sap a second and then,

“Ohh, I get it now,” he whispers again, “I was wondering where you went.”

I facepalm and hush him. He walks over to one of the shelves, plucks a book out of the line and comes back to sit at the table nearest me. His presence is only a little comforting, if the girl doesn’t leave soon I’ll still be trapped in here. Then what? I convince Library-goers of every Quadrant to feed me something until I get back to my own? Even if none of them ratted me out surely someone would notice my absence and come looking. On the bright side, maybe I’d get to meet Bad and he wouldn’t have to read what I wrote, I could just tell him. Luckily I don’t have to think much more on the subject because little miss studious gets up, packs her things, and leaves. Not before shooting a few strange looks at Sapnap. To be fair, he looks like he’s whispering to himself. As soon as she’s far enough away I slide open the panel and tumble out. Sapnap looks at me with wide eyes.

“How long have you been in there?”

“Hours,” is my only response before I push Sapnap in the direction of the doors, following close behind him.

Thankfully the girl is gone before we reach the exit, having to explain how one person enters the Library and two leave would be too difficult in my current state of exhaustion. It’s starting to get dark and Sapnap walks with me until we reach my my door.

“You should probably be more careful next time,” he suggests and waves as he continues walking.

“Yeah.. see you tomorrow Sap,” I wave back and scan my code to get inside.

“Hey, Zak!” Mom greets me as I walk through the door.

“Hi, mom,” I give her a hug then walk past her up the stairs.

“Your father should be home soon,” she hollers up after me, “I’ll call you down for dinner when he gets here.”

“Okay, mom!”

Once I’m in my room it’s all I can do to make it to my bed, my legs and back are stiff from sitting on the hard floor for hours on end. I hope Bad never has to experience that, I’m not sure how a Red would cope with that level of stress. I barely got through it myself.

Through the protest of my sore limbs I get up and look through my drawer, pulling out Bad’s jacket. Now that there’s a name to put with the clothing it feels like the pieces are slowly coming together. The more we do this, the more dangerous it will be; I think that much is obvious with what happened today. But I’m okay with that as long as Bad is. Sitting back on my bed, Bad’s red coat in my arms I look up as the glass ceiling starts frost over as darkness takes over the sky. I wonder where Bad’s at right now, if he’s sitting in his bed looking up at the same glass, holding my hoodie. It’s a ridiculous thought, but a hopeful one. This time I’m not as impatient for the Library to come back around, I’m more nervous about what his response might be. What he might think of my panicked rambling about being trapped. Cinnamon wafts into my face as if purposefully trying to ground me. It works, the scent though spicy calms me and reassures me in some odd way. Somehow I get the feeling it’ll be fine at least until the next time the Library comes around. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! woo! This one came out quicker than the last so that’s fun. Thanks for reading!


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